The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-02-15
HOLLY SPRINGS, HISS,
AND ITS ROCKY MOUNTAIN OF
IRON ORE.
A Chance for Another Boom-GOOd
Lands Going Cheap The Way
to Make q Fortune.

eighty miles below here. There are
more appearances OF a likelihood OF
iron about this town than about Duck
Hill. There is a very high hill, called
Rocky Mouutain," about one mile
west, owe looking the to wn. There are
on aud about this mountain wha. the
natives here call iron rocks. There is
evidently some iron in these rocks,
but tie geologis,s OF this State had said
there was no iron or coal in the State,
and these people have been just dis.
posed to take IL for granted that the
goelogists were correct. They thought
that geology, like figures, never err,
but 1t seems geologists, il not geology,
have erred. Who knows but that the
Rocky Mountain NAV be solid mass
Of Iich iron ora, or silver or gold. The
bowels OF this mountain have never
been explored. II may be full, bnm
full, of something very valuable. Many
persons believe that the great God
has made nothing usele:sly. The soil
on and about this m untain is poor,
the timber was never OF uch account,
ard so your "Traveler" concludes
there must be some hing inside OF it
which may be useful. UHderlyiug this
mountain and all about here may be
iron or coal or something very use full
to civilized mani Who knows?
There is one thing that your CORE
spondent does know. That this soil
has been more imposed on than any
place he has ever visited. Corn and
cotton in season, and cows and all
other stock roaming over the fislds in
winter, trsmping the ground all winter
aud picking off every cotton and corn
stalk. The master as general thing,
putting no fertilizer in his fields
making no effort at recupsrstion Of
the soil-the wonder is that anything
is made, but there is good deal made,
though not more than one-fourth or
one-ihird OF Whist might be made. We
saw one man who was It cup srsting
his land by sowing peas in the fail,
having the vines powed uuder, then
sowing rye, and in the spring turning
the green rye under and then planting
crop OF corn or cotton. He said, he
could by this course make his laud as
rich as he wanted it. He also said by
cutting the pea vines, which he does
not think as good fsrtiliz ar as the
roots, and curing them for hay and
putting sheep and calves on his rye In
the winter, he could not only make
the land rich but could have good
income from the stock. This gentle
man locke upon pea vine hay as
even richer than clover hay.
Your correspondent thinks he
sees right here "boom" for
this country and town, even il the
"Rocky Mountain" has not its uoder.
lying wealth, if the people would
improve their lands by some such
course as the above, and then there
was large creamery or two estab-
lished right here. There are some
nice clover and grass lots around this
little city. They are beginning to yet
green even now. Away up North,
where they have the creameries which
supply your city and even this little
town with butter, they do not look for
anything green for tive months yet,
but still they make the butter and
chip at bis profit to us. The grass
which makes this butter is gro gn on
land which sells at from $50 to $3.50
per acre. Land can be bought here,
your correspondent heare, at from So
to SIP so per acre, which, with little
nursing, will produce hay richer than
that used up North-as we'll as max
ing clover, orchard and red tor, but
above all as growing grass, Bermuda.
This the North cannot have. The
citizens here tell me this is the bett
grazing grass in the world in
This climate. The second year it
forms a thick sod; then the more
it is tramped and grazsd the better it
is. There is another spontaneous
production of this soil which is very
fine for grazing and hay, the lespediz4
or wild clover.
Your "TIaveler" has been surprised
at the 10 w price of lands of such capa.
bilities as these and in such q pleasant
climate. A farmer explained to me
the other day. There were great
many large slave holders here before
the war-lsrge plantations. Their
plantations, under the present sys-
tenn, have not been worked to profit.
The negro laborers are leaving for the
Mississl ppi bottoms, and other rich,
sickly regions, where the white man
does not wish TO live. So the people
here wish to divide up their plaDta-
TONS and will sell at reduced rates.
Were their lands bought up by the
small farmers OF the North and West,
and creameries established, and stock
of all kinds raised, this town, sur.
rounded by such lands as it il, and at
the crossing of the Illinois Central
and the Kansas City and Birmingham
railroads, there would be solid
"boom" here.
The cotton compress has arrived
here and will be put up soon; be in
readiness for next crop. 1t has a sixty
four horse power and will be able to
com press thiTty-eight or forty bales TO
the hour. This will probably be much
larger cotton buying point than now.
We still find tie "iug factory" in
successful operation. 1t will be Ell
further enlarged soon. No better clay
on the continent than here and great
quantities of it. When the prohibi.
ton law pa SEES jugs will be in greater
demand than ever. Plenty Of clay
here to supply the world.
Why paDer mill cannot be put
here at the junction OF these roads,
we cannot see. Here is the pure
water and the rsgs, old pspor, refuse
cotton, cotton notes, ETC., Just wAstlug
all through the country. The mate
rial for making paper is so cheap the
profit must be lsrge. So ye Traveller"
looks into the future and sees Rocky
Mountain disemb lWeled, the sur
rounding country covered with grasses
and fine stock, number OF crsameries
turning out the yeilowest, Richest but
ter, the pottery covering an acre or go
of land, the paper mill supplying
sicpi, good part OF Alabama, also
Arkansas and the Kausas City cnun-
try, with paper. Then Holly Springs